Anyone that goes into chat expects, at the very least, to be acknowledged even if they don't need help as such.

Yes, silliness is needed and is welcomed, but not to the exclusion of those that come in, in the middle of the conversation. Someone may be feeling a little down or lonely and nothing highlights that low mood or loneliness when they aren't even acknowledged when they come in... especially when they speak to group in general repeatedly and no one answers!

Bottom line, it's a matter of good manners to at the very least acknowledge a person and not ignore them completely! The chat wasn't that busy or that fast that all of who were there couldn't have looked a wee bit farther than their nose! To me, that was RUDE!